Traversing means for high speed winding



s- 3, 9 3. J. 'H. moms ETAL 2,325,640

TRAVERSING MEANS FOR HIGH SPEED WINDING Original Filed Aug. 28, 1937 2 Sheets-Sheet l,

IN VEN TORS ATTOR EYS.

J. H. THOMAS ETA L 'IRAVERSING MEANS FOR HIGH SPEED WINDING Original Filed Aug. 28, 1957 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTORS I ATTORNEYS.

Patented Aug. 3, 1943 1 i Q UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE TRAVERSINGMEANS FOR HIGH SPEED WINDING l a John H. Thomas and Ed Fletcher, Newark, Ohio,

assignors, by mcsne assignments, to Owens- Corning Fiberglas Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Application August 28, 1937, Serial No; 161,476 Renewed @ctober 13, 1939 8 Claims. (Cl. 242-43) Our invention relates to apparatus for winding Fig. 3 is a fragmentary view showing a portion strands, threads, slivers or the like of filamentous of the traversing disk; and material on spools or holders, and particularly to Fig. 4 is a perspective view showing a modified a novel traversing method and means for districonstructionincluding traversing disks rotating buting the material evenly on the spool 01' holder 5 in opposite directions. on which it is wound. The invention is specially Referring particularly to Fig. 1, we have illusadapted for use in high speed winding o erations. trateda method and apparatus for fiowing a Traversing means in use at the present day for multiplicity of small streams of molten or viscous high speed winding ordinarily comprise a recipmaterial, drawing them to fine filamentary form, rocating member which travels back and forth collecting them into a single strand or sliver, and along a spool, the movement of said member bcwinding'the sliver onto a spool, all by a continuing under the control of a cardioidal cam or the ous process. -A supply of the material, for exlike, dcsigned'to give an acceleration to the trans ample, molten glass, is maintained in a container verse movements at the ends of the package, so or tank I 0 .provided with a feeder ll having a that a smoothly wound package will result. This multiplicity of bottom outlets through which type of traversing device does not stand up long small streams of molten glass issue. A blower when operated at high speed, being subject to may envelop the streams in a downwardly dirapid wear. Moreover, in the use of such devices, rected blast of steam or the like for regulating the and in general of reciprocating traversing devices temperature and quickly cooling the streams of which must be brought to a stop at the end of glass which are rapidly drawn and attenuated to each traverse and then started in the opposite dithe form of fine fibers or filaments l2. The fibers rection, the speed is limited and places a limitaare drawn in a downwardly convergent direction on the speed which may be used in the windtion and accumulated to form a single sliver or ing operation. strand: I3 which is wound on a holder M in the An object of our invention is to overcome the form of a spool, bobbin or other core or the like above difliculties and objections, and to provide rotating at a high speed. The rotating spool or a traversing mechanism which will permit windholder I4 serves as a drawing means for attenu-' ing at a much higher speed than has heretofore ating the molten or viscous material and drawbeen found practical. ing it into fine fibers. These are directed over a A further object of the invention is to provide a coating device I5 by which the fibers are treated traversing apparatus which is free from reciproor coated with wax, oil or other coating material. eating parts and which can operate smoothly and The spool I4 i mounted upon and rotated by without the vibration and jarring incident to a winder comprising a vertical spindle l6 driven rapid reciprocating movements. at a high speed by means of an electric motor H A further object of the invention is to provide or other driving means. Themotor is connected a novel traversing method and apparatus in through gearing within a gear case l8 to a shaft which the traversing means traverses the spool or I9 having driving connection with the, spindle l6 package in one direction only, the traversing through a belt 29 running Over pu 2| and 22 movement of the strand or thread inthe reverse on the shaft i9 and sp e p ct e y.

direction being controlled by the tension of the T e tr ve mechanism Comprises a Ca strand and the direction in which it approaches n e f rm of a d sk 3 m unt d on'a shaft 24 the pool, 1 journaled in standards 25. The disk is rotated A further object of th inv ti is t r d c by the motor II or other suitable driving means. the abrading action of the traversing means by The-motor may have driving connection with the reducing the extent to which it contacts the madisk throug gearing Within the ear box I interial being wound. eluding a shaft 26 extending through the gear Other objects of our invention will appear herebox and carryin a, p y A e t 8 is trained inaiter. over the pulley 21 and a pulley 29 on th shaft 24,

Referring to the accompanying drawings: An annular series of traversing fingers 30 are Fig'l is afront elevation, partly diagrammatic, pivotally mounted on the disk 23 by means of of a winding apparatus constructed in accord- Divot p 3! (See Se fi ers are ance with the principles of our invention; preferably spaced at equal intervals circumfer- Fig. 2 is a perspective view on a larger scale entially of the disk and extend radially beyond showing particularly the traversing mechanism the periphery of the disk. Each finger is yieldand its relation to the winding spool; 5 ing y held in its proje t d p si n y means 01a coil spring 32 anchored at one end to the disk and at its opposite end connected to the inner end of the swinging lever or finger 30. Stops 33 are adjustably mounted on the disk in position to be engaged by the fingers 30 which are held against the stops by the springs.

The traversing disk is so positioned with respect to the strand l3 that each of the fingers 30, as it rotates with the disk, traverses the path of the strand I 3. As shown, the spindle I 6 is vertical so that the spool i4 rotates horizontally and the spool is located at a lower plane than that at which the strand 13 leaves the coating device or guide I5. In other words, the strand l3 extends from the guide l toward the spool in a downwardly inclined direction.

In operation, the rotation of the traversing disk causes each finger 30, as it moves downward, to engage the sliver or strand l3 and carry it downwardly so that it is wound spirally on. the

. spool. As the strand nears the lower end of the spool, the finger 30 engages a releasing device 35 'or trip in the form of a stationary stop arm or lug 35 in the path of the finger so that the latter is swung upwardly and inwardly about its pivot 3i and releases the strand as the latter reaches the lower end of the spool. I The finger is thrown upwardly with extreme rapidity to the dotted line position (Fig. 3) and held in such position until it passes beyond the range of the strand.

When the strand is thus released, it immediately commences an upward movement, owing to the inclined direction in which it is being drawn to the spool as the latter rotates. As a result, the strand is wound spirally from the lower end of the spool upward until it reaches the upper end, when it is engaged by the next succeeding finger 30, which again reverses the traverse. In this manner,- the strand as it is wound on the spool is caused to travel up and down, thereby evenly distributing the material as the package is built up. The speed of the traversing fingers 30 is preferably the same as the.

speed at which the strand travels upward along the spool when released from the finger. The distance between each two adjacent fingers 30 is thus substantially double the length of the package being wound. This arrangement provides for uniform and even distribution of the material. It will be understood, however, that the apparatus can be modified to provide a different ratio between the up and down traversing movements.

Fig. 4 illustrates a modification in which two traversing disks 23 and 23 are provided, with means for rotating them in opposite directions so that the traversing movement of the strand l3 may be positively controlled during both its up and down traversing movements. The disk 23*, the fingers'30 thereon, and the trip device 35*, may be constructed and operate substantially in the same manner as the disk 23, fingers 30 and trip 35. In this construction the disk 23 is mounted on a hOHOvV shaft 40 driven by a belt 4i running over a pulley 42 on said shaft. The disk 23 is mounted on a shaft 43 extending through and concentric with the shaft 40. The shaft 43 is driven by a belt 44 running over a pulley 45 on the shaft, the belt 44 being driven in the opposite direction from that of the belt 4!.

The belts 4i and 44 may be driven either by the motor which drives the spool carrying spindle IE, or by separate motors driven in synchronism or at constant speeds. Any suitable speed changing mechanism may be employed for adjusting the speed of the traversing means as may be required to provide a properly timed relation between the traversing disk and the winding spool in order to obtain an even distribution of the material as it is wound.

It will be observed that with the apparatus herein disclosed the movement of the traversing disk and fingers is continuous, thereby eliminating the usual reciprocating mechanisms and cams for controlling such reciprocations. With the constructions herein disclosed, there is practically no limit to the speed at which the traversing device can be driven. This permits the winding spool to be driven at much higher speeds than has heretofore been found practical, because with the present apparatus no speed limitations are imposed by the traversing means. For example, we have obtained very satisfactory results in the manufacture and winding of a strand or sliver composed of glass fibers made in accordance with the herein disclosed methods, with a winding speed as high as 20,000 feet per minute, which is greatly in excess of practical speeds heretofore obtained with conventional winding and traversing apparatus. This speed is given by way of example and not as a limitation.

Although the winding spool is herein illustrated as mounted for horizontal rotation, it will be understood that the angle of the spool may be changed. For example, the invention is now being used by winding spools arranged to rotate about horizontal axes, the essential feature as regards the arrangement of the winding spool,

'- when used with the form of apparatus shown in Figs. 1 to 3, being an arrangement of the spool such that the strand which is being wound thereon is drawn at an angle which will provide a spiral winding thereof on the spool.

Modifications may be resorted to within the spirit and scope of our invention.

We claim:

1. The combination of a winding spool, means for rotating it, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound thereon, traversing mechanism comprising a pair-of parallel disks, means for rotating said disks about a common axis in opposite directions, and a series of fingers mounted on each disk and projecting therefrom into the path of the strand as the latter is fed to the spool, said fingers being so arranged that the fingers on one disk engage the strand in altemation with the fingers on the other disk and thereby move the strand back and forth along the spool while being wound thereon.

2. Winding mechanism comprising in combination, means -for rotating a spool about an axis and thereby winding a strand thereon, a guide positioned and arranged to guide the strand in a path such that it is drawn from the guide to the spool in a direction at an angle to a plane which is normal to the axis of the spool, and thereby causing the strand to traverse the spool in one direction and be wound spirally thereon, and a traversing device movable in a path that intersects the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis at two points spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the length of the package to be formed on the spool, to thereby periodically engage the strand and cause the latter to traverse the spool in the opposite direction, whereby thev package built up on the spool consists of superposed 'spiral windings in which the spirals are reversely inclined.

3. The combination of means for rotating a winding spool about its own axis, means i'or guiding a strand which is being wound on the spool, said guiding means being located at a distance from the spool and positioned outside the space bounded by planes normal to the spool axis and passing through the spool at the desired posi-- tions oi the ends of the package to be formed on the spool, whereby the strand is wound on the spool in one direction in a spiral extending from one end to the other of the package, a traversing device movable into the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis at the end of the package where the angle of incidence of the strand is smallest'and out or said plane at the end of the package where the angle of incidence of the strand is greatest, and means for continuously moving said traversing device in one direction to cause it to repeatedly engage the strand and traverse it along the spool to cause it to be wound thereon in the opposite direction.

4. Winding mechanism comprising in combination, means for rotating a packaging spool about a fixed axis to wind a strand thereon, a guide for the strand situated outside the space bounded by planes normal to the spool axis and passing through the spool at the positions 01 the ends of the package formed on the spool, a strand engaging element movable in an are situated in a plane substantially at right angles to the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis, said are being inscribed about a point located within the space bounded by the said planes normal .to the spool axis, the length of said are being at least as long as the length of said package and being located intermediate the said spool and said guide in position to cause the strand engaging element to continually engage the said strand during movement of the element along the length of said are, and means for moving said element along the spool and causing it to be wound thereon,

traversing mechanism comprising a pair of parallel disks, means for rotating said disks about a common axis in opposite directions, fingers pivotally mounted on each disk and projecting therefrom into the path of the strand as the latter is fed to the spool, said fingers being so arranged that the fingers on one disk engage the strand in alternation with the fingers on the other disk and thereby traverse the strand back and forth along the spool while being wound thereon, and means for pivotally moving each strand-engaging finger on each disk out of the path oi.' the strand at the end oi the traversing movement in each direction of the strand.

6. The combination of a winding spool, means for rotating it, means for guiding a strand to the spool and causing it to be wound thereon, traversing mechanism comprising a pair of paralcommon axis in opposite directions, a series of fingers mounted on each disk and projecting therefrom into thepath of the strand as the latter is fed to the spool, each of saidfingers being pivoted to its respective disk, resilient means urging said fingers into the path of the strand, said fingers being so arranged that the fingers on one disk engage the strand in alternation with the fingers on the other disk and thereby traverse the strand back and forth along the spool while being wound thereon, and means for moving each strand-engaging pin on its pivot at the end of" the traversing movement in each direction of the strand.

7. Winding mechanism comprising in combination, means for rotating a spool about an axis and thereby winding a strand thereon, a guide positioned and arranged to guide the strand in a path such that it is drawn from the guide to the'spool in a direction at an angle to a plane which is normal to the axis of the spool, and thereby causing the strand to traverse the spool in one direction and be wound spirally thereon, a traversing disk and means for rotating said disk, 3; strand-engaging finger pivotedon said disk and extending outwardly from the edge of said disk, said finger being moved by rotation of the disk in a path that intersects the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis at two points spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the length of the package to be formed on the spool, to thereby periodically engage the strand and cause the latter to traverse the spool in theopposite direction, whereby the package built up on the spool consists of superposed spiral windings in which the spirals are reversely inclined, and means for moving said finger on its pivot at the end of the traversing movement in said opposite direction to release the strand.

8. Winding mechanism comprising in combination, means for rotating a spool about an axis and thereby winding a strand thereon, a guide positioned and arranged to guide the strand in a path such that it is drawn from the guide to the spool in a direction at an angle to a plane which is normal to the axis of the spool, and thereby causing the strand to traverse the spool in one direction and be wound spirally thereon, a traversing disk and means for rotating said disk in a plane that is transverse to the path of the strand, a strandeengaging finger pivoted on said disk and resiliently urged into a position extending outwardly past the edge 01' the disk, said finger being moved by rotation of the disk in a path that intersects the plane of the strand parallel to the spool axis at two points spaced apart a distance corresponding substantially to the length of the package to be formed on the spool, to thereby periodically engage the strand and cause the latter totraverse the spool in the opposite direction, whereby the package built up on the spool consists of superposed spiral windings in which the spirals are reversely inclined.

lel disks, means for rotating said disks about a and a stop located adjacent the end of traversing movement in said opposite direction and in the path of said finger to move said finger on its Divot and release the strand.

' dorm H. moms.

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